With the Premier League season set to kick-off this weekend, it’s difficult to judge where Manchester United stand coming into the campaign.
Michael Carrick did brilliantly in an interim role last season, although there remains some questions about his suitability for the job in the long-term. As well as that, the club have not exactly been spending heavily in the transfer market.
It looks as though a deal for Brighton’s Carlos Baleba is close to completion, but the squad still looks light in other areas even after that potential addition.
It will be interesting to see how Carrick fares over the coming months, although Roy Keane already seems to have some doubts about the Englishman.
Roy Keane on Michael Carrick’s Manchester United future
When Michael Carrick stepped into the interim job last season, it was assumed that Manchester United would recruit a big name manager to come in the following summer. Carrick’s success ultimately saw him get the position on a permanent basis, but there are lingering questions over whether that was the right approach for the club to take.
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It was suggested in the past that the club’s ownership were big fans of Eddie Howe, who is now available after his sudden departure from Newcastle.
On the latest episode of Stick To Football, Ian Wright said he would not be surprised to see Howe back in the Premier League by Christmas. When Gary Neville asked which club was most likely to hire him, Roy Keane whispered a cheeky suggestion to Wright.
Keane: There will be a couple of teams that have managers sacked before Christmas.
Wright: I think Eddie Howe will be in a job before Christmas.
Neville: Which job?
Wright: I don’t know.
Keane: *whispers something to Wright*
Neville: Which job Roy?
Wright: We can’t say, because we don’t know.
Keane: Wrighty said United! Leeds United!
A bold suggestion, but not an outrageous one.
Will Michael Carrick be a success at Manchester United?
Roy Keane has some history with Michael Carrick, with the pair having not seen eye-to-eye in the past.
The Irishman also publicly stated on numerous occasions that he would not give Carrick the job on a permanent basis, but did go on to say that he hoped he would be a success in the role.
Eddie Howe will be an attractive candidate for any potential coaching roles in the Premier League, although it remains to be seen whether the timing would be right to facilitate a move to Manchester United at some point in the future.